Ok need to make this a poll. I need Input here. As some know Im doing the japaneese version of the Inverted cowl hood. ONLY diff is Im NOT adding the 2 side vents. Just the center inverted part.

Should it be a
1
1and 1/2
or
2 inch cowl?

In this picture It kinda looks 1-2




Last thing is. WHO really wants the CF look.

Reason being is carbonFiber isnt a noticable difference in STRENGTH or WEIGHT unless you use a autoclave to make the parts. A good roven woven fiberglass is just fine for whats needed here ESP if you don't want the CF look.

I can do both CF and Glass no problem just want to let people know its not worth the CF cost if your just going to paint the hood anyways.

 

cf - glass....doesnt matter, that design jsut needs to be made!! (though I'd love to see an inverted raII'ish hood (like what they have on silverados etc.....

 

Any chance of this comming to the Firebird world?

 

Seriously, even if the hood is Fiberglass, If I find myself wanting the look of CF, I will get the CF film and just layer it on. Any idea how much you intend to sell it for? I commend you for taking the effort to add to the longevity of the Thirdgen.

 

i wouldnt mind one of those hoods but i doubt there will be a bird version will there? besides i dont think it will look good on my bird with its carbed 2.8

 

Price for a glass one will be in the ballpark with other glass hoods of the same quality.

CF a little more of corese. but really the CF look for subtle hints/stripes etc.. can be acheaved with paint.

Get Craig Fraisers book called Cheap Tricks & Special f/x. You should be able to purchase it at artool.com. This book has lots of great tips and goes through each step. Cost is less than the materials to do real carbon. Also try airbrush action on the web or in magazine form. Carbon fiber is easy to paint you will master it in one day practice.

MAYBE it will venture over to the bird format down the road. Well see.

As said in another post I already have a IROC mold 99% done. just working it a little more.

 

Ahhh but the side vents are cool. Ide love to have one of the inverted hoods those r hot or a ss hood carbon fiber i have some ideas with that.

 

I voted for 1"

 

what is the deal w/ CF hoods? i mean why do people like them? I think they're the ugliest things out there. Looks like the car got in an accident and they couldnt find the right color part from the junk yard to put it back together. My vote is for the glass.

-chillen

 

There this stuff called carbon fiber and it can also be painted and its really light .

 

Who said anything about not being able to paint the hood ? Sheesh some people arent too bright.

 

CF = very very strong, very very light, and ... under normal circumstances, very expensive.painting one would be like throwing a thousand dollar fuel pump in, it does the job , but you'll never see it....that's why most people who cough up the $$ , leave em in stock form, so they can go...wow, that's CF...maybe painting the exterior and leaving the underside bare would be slick, then they'd be like "nice car...wait, is that?"

 

im gonna go 1 1/2", i think 1 would be too small. 2 may look good but would be getting close to too big.

I really dont want to sound like the people on this board who go i want i want and never have the cash. I would not buy one right now as my car needs a new transmission and rear end. However that is the only hood i want so if it is made i will definitly be buying one most likely next summer. Couldnt care less what it is made of it would be painted regardless. Probably prefer glass just for cost reasons.

Also wondering if the downward part of the vent would clear the taller efi intakes?

 

you're getting off subject....



anyhoo, id say 1 maybe 1-1/2 inch tall.... try to keep it as low as possible... dont want that cowl hood look from the side....

 

yeah i love the look of that hood and would love to see them made....i don't care really which one although i love the look of CF.

 

1 /12 is what im thinking will look/work the best.

I think what will end up happening is Glass ones will be made. Prob. 1-2 CF ones. and any further CF ones will me made as ordered.

Same thing with the stock iroc hood.

 

i want a cf look hood

 

yea... itd suck to make the first ones from CF anyway.. you know how new molds are.... (and im just learning...)



what are the odds of you vacuum bagging a CF hood?

 

1-1/2

 

good.lol....

 

I would be interested in one and have cash in hand when they are ready........ (i hope they are ready soon B4 i HAVE to buy a hood...it is starting to get warm out)...
I like the pic above where the hood is open. the cowl is not huge, it's actually kind of subtle....
I would think 1' or 1 1/2"

 

so whats the status here anyway? I am really interested in this stlye of hood....especially a carbon fiber one.....so if someone knows how to make them then by all means go for it!

 

what about engine clearance?

 

Ill for sure be interested in some interior parts if your going to make some, ill have to see this hood im still leanin towards the ss hood.

 

I would be interested in a glass one. I voted for 1 and 1/2. I cannot justify the cost of CF since I dont use the car to race seriously or anything. Glass would be good with me.

 

um, not me... Like 85fbird said, most people dont paint them and its just my opinion that it looks terrible. TPI 383 pointed out that the weight is hardly noticible. So how much more does a CF hood really cost? Since you're just paying for the look essentially.

-chillen

 

Its gona be 1 1/2

CF material is what cost more.
Takes more timeto do parts also. because you dont want a Wavy pattern down your hood. etc..

 

Come to think of it, I need a new hood. And that would be perfect, I love the style of it. And the lines look great, I'd love to have a glass, I'm with the others- pretty much pointless to buy CF then paint it. I know this is a bit late of a post, but if you get the mold going, I'm down for one of them.

 

If i got the CF I would lay down a dust coat of base then clear.

 

Let me know when these are done.

 

yeah, but what about clearance?? how much room is there to go 1.5inch down? i know the hood comes up some then inverts.

i would like to see a bigger wider version of the SS hood LOL

 

Whats the status on this?

 

TPI383,
you get any of these done yet? Summer is upon us....

 

Sorry, nope. Havent had much time to dabby with anything.
Been tryin to get little dont with my car. vette brake parts, and been swamped with coating parts.

The other guy who is doing the molds is slow as a snail also. he works full time and does composits on the side also.

 

well, if it helps, I would rather buy from you after reading thru that other thread....
Let me know when you get into them again. My vert is at least a year away from being done, so I am in NO hurry, just checkin up on ya...

 

That's freakin awesome! you wouldn't want to donate one to a poor college kid for trial purposes, perhaps?

 

Wheres my damn hood, and interior pieces

 

haha

 

make me one now! carbon fiber please. c'mon....i'll give you a dollar....

 

I know you said that you don't even have the molds yet, but i was curious if you had any idea how much you might be selling these for if you ever start producing them. That is a beautiful design.. Good luck to you on getting yours done

 

Does anyone know how close a stock hood sits to the tpi plenum????? Is there even enough room to have a 2" inverted cowl ??? Compinsating for the rocking of the engine too right??

 

The whole center piece of that hood is raised up a little higher than the rest of the hood. I'm sure that helps with clearance. But why are people asking if the hood will fit on the car and allowing enough clearance... looks like it fits to me:

 

Carbon fiber is only expensive when they actually "polish" (for lack of a better term) the final product. Thats where 50% of the work goes into. If you leave it unfinished it is still just as strong and light (looks hazey instead of clear) and will cost 1/2 as much and painting it body color wouldnt seem like such a crime

I am still in the process of talking with a company south of detorit for prototyping carbon fiber fenders with the fender vent mod that many here have done / want done. Probably wont be this summer but i was quoted at about 600 for both fenders. Its all done with vaccum forms or something like that.

 

No thats not where 50% of the work goes to. You cant leave it unfinished, befor you even lay the CF you use a good clear coat if people plan to leave it the CF look.

If your gona paint it then Id be layin down a gelcoat just like any other company hood comes outa the box.

Your fenders price sound about right on the $$. They will prob vacuume Bag them. Unless they have a Autoclave.

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92Droptop,
a CF one will be alittle more then a regular fibereglass one. just because the CF cost more. The process isnt much different. Esp if your painting it. The PITA part with people wanting the CF look is keeping the weave symetrical so its not all wavy looking...

 

I might be interested in one. Gotta talk it over with my wife first & convince her If she says yes, maybe we can work out a shipping deal & ship all the hoods at once for everyone in Hawaii that wants one. I know CrazyHawaiian will probably follow through & get one.

 

provided they look good and you do a bird hood, i would take one in carbon fiber for my trans am. that would look very nice. especially left unpainted.

 

You can scratch me off the list of getting one Showed it to my wife & she doesn't like it. She still likes the look of a regular cowl hood. Maybe when I get my own thirdgen I'll buy one lol! Keep forgetting that this car is hers

 

photoshop a painted one for your wife...don't know about your lady, but mine likes colors, and if she sees something that doesn't match, she just about doesn't like it. It's almost hard for her to see potential in car if it's not already nice looking. lol.

 

i like the idea but i'd like to see some more, better pix of the hood. ie side and w/e. i personally love the idea of carbon fiber hoods for our cars, even if its just fiberglass with carbonfiber overlay. i know lil trick to painting it to look like carbon fiber but i just love the way real carbon fiber shines in the like, kinda makes me wanna hump the car

 

I think you been to one to many import car shows. lol